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PAGE 16, WHITBYFRPM PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6p,1991 Club to is 'frilend' new families By Trudie Zavadoviés Many familles are uprooted each year to make their homes elsewhere. T-n. Oshawa-Whitby Newco- mers Club serves as a friend'to many such families each year. OCperating in. Whitby for more than ten yarse the club helpa peoýple mak the transition from o'ne place te another more easily and effortlessl. Il. club ofr many monthly activities, such as bridge for cou- ples and'for. women, ouchre for cou ples or for womenj, crafts and chat groupe, moms and tots Ecoups, luncheons, social events, wng adancing for coule or for women ith timîý on t eir hands. "nTe purpose of the. activities is to heppeople maleiéhends in the commumty, p1uste get te know people mith communitZ who have common interese, Baya Sherie Smith public rela.; tions co-ordinator tîr the group. «Presently ther. are about 80 members from VWhitby. «We hold monthly meetings, ma!ny turnes with guest speakers. After thre years with the group you can join the alumni."" , The club accepte people who have been in Whitby three years or under. "It' pria*1la1ldies' group says Smith. "It's a non-profit organization that charges a m£emberahip f.. of $20." Fundraising activities include garage sales, and proceeds go toward distribution 6f a monthly newsletter listing the activities of the club. Job changes are often the cause of the move from com- munity to community. One spouse may b. preoccupied with te jo, leaving the other spouse and child/chil.dIen ini a void that may.be filled by something 1k. the Newcomners Club. Smith moved three tMmes. 8h. says sometimes you can make friends with someone in the same situation, but there are times when you have to connect with a group of people experienc- OSHAWA/WHI[TBY NEWCOMERS' CLUB Purpas. To provide friendaip to womon n.w te the ame. Fumdings Fundraising activitied memborship fees. Mebehp fem $20 anuiually - newcomers; $15 annuafly - oIumi. T" alWhitby memberIl P 80" . Coact: Information Why, 668-0552 or Information Oshawa, 4U44636; Patty Sinopohi (Alumni), 671-3050. inq the same thing. 'It's often hiard to ni.et people," says Smith. «I joined after two years.» Smith moved to, Whitby fromn the U.S. It was not only a change in community, but in some'res- pects, a. change in culture. < 'Mhe Newcomers Club helped, me te meet other moms who were at home with small chil- dren. It was an opportunity te get out and socialize. I also participate in couples evenîts like bowling and dancing. Ws nice tewn. There plenty. of opportunity for those Who want to get involved. They can be involved at their own pace. The purpose is te, help people te adjust te the commumty and te mû. friends. ' Lynda Fox, wife of Whitby- councillor Denniàs Foi, is a long- time, member of the Newcoer's Club and last year started an alumni group for 'Iong-time' new- comers. «I joied and have neyer lookLed back,» says 'Fox of the club itself. "There's a whole' Cup o peope ofdiverse ages. gînalIflit was created for wives of people who were trans- f.rred a lot. 'Td neyer been in Whitby till I looked at a home. I knew nothing about the area at aIl. Now I have a lot of personal friends.Y She says the alumni of the Newcomers' Club enables people te still be involved in'futictions but leaves the business and deci- s3ion-making te the Yeal newco- mers. Thns keeps the group fresh yet accommodates thie aluznm's need toestill belong. Each February alumni hold a wine and cheese te welcome new-* comers te the.group. "You get te, know people botter over a glass of winie than at- a meeting thble,» says Fox. "No wew are looking for former me leu who do not know that the alumni çroup existe.., W. have, two dinner meetings a year. DEN wants. to make a difference,ý By Maureen Quinlain Durham environmentalists are pulling together for one main I. cause --.our world. A new organization, Durhamn Environment Network (DEN), ls \~2~ ilJohn Alexander Gregory Davis Mark Andre Bedard Lyndsay Keys IRenee Bedard Tara Linkiater Lucas- Brown Richard Luchford *â.. 14V*% Tirn .' %4 Dave Massey the missing link for environmen- talists interested in maling a difference. -"We want te enchance, not take over the eftvironm.nt pro- grams already in progress,» says ""'Pc-00 Sheri Meyer Keith Puddick Glenn Sintniklaas Chris Walters Jeffery ynistorl Gail Ljawlov, DEN co-ordinator; It's a nétwork bufit up from .nvironmental groups, clubs and individuals. There wiIl b. ten cor. mem- bers who will meet every rnonth te, form the. steering commit. Meetings for the general assembly will occur every other month at varying locations. ."ii. network hopes te deter- mine strengths andfweakesses of each member so that take and causes can b. suited te them," says Lawlor. DEN 18 te b. the umbrella networýk base of Durham Region. "Tii. network's purpose is te, work te connect Durh arn's envirnment information and te work in any way we can with the rvermment," says Rowena Kirk, IENs data coodinater.. It's been said te b.e the answer te, Durham Region's prayers. Before the organization was developed, information was b.ing produced and produced but lef unread. «Now DEN is working'on dis- tributing the information that's free tethe public,» saysLIawlor. ..ii. network ia still reaching' out and new members are more than welcome," says Kirk. Anyone interested can write te MOMS'AND TOTS groups are one of theaciites. of the O"bwa-Whitby Neçwcmera', Club. The Whitby Free Press would like to wish Happy Birthday-to ail its carriers with MARCH birthdays .Cooper